The Titusville Environmental Commission voted unanimously to tell city planning staff that its next, primary priority is wetland conservation and clarifying the comprehensive plan's future land use and conservation language.

The motion, made by Member Browning and seconded by Member Tucker, asks staff to treat the conservation and future land-use elements of the comprehensive plan (and the related land-development regulations) as the commission's focus "for the foreseeable future." The vote was taken by voice and carried unanimously.

Commissioners said wetlands, areas of critical concern and protection of the city's drinking aquifers are linked issues that have been driving flooding, loss of native habitat and development pressure. Several members urged starting with the comprehensive-plan language so the city's vision and policy intent are clear before revising land-development regulations. Lily, city planning staff, said she could run the commission's priorities through a decision tree the department uses to set action, funding and staffing priorities.

Discussion highlighted examples commissioners said demonstrate the stakes: confusion in the comp plan and land-development regulations, rezoning that has permitted development in sensitive areas, and statewide and county examples that offer clearer wetland-impact limits. Member Browning noted the natural resources report and recommended outside consultants other than those who previously advised the city on the ear resubmittal.

The commission directed staff to prioritize work on comp-plan language related to wetlands and to return with options for how to proceed, including potential LDR (land development regulation) updates. The commission did not adopt binding code changes; it asked staff to bring proposals and analysis back to the commission.